Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-12
ELECTRIC sTEET RAILWAYS.
A New Industry OF Vast Possibilities
which Is row Being Considered
SEINE Figures decomposition

A New Industry OF Vast Possibilitits
which is now Being Considered
seme Figures efComparisen-
A few weeks ago when there was talk
of an eastern syndicate purchasing suf-
hciently Of the stock of the street rail-
WAYS of the three cities TO control them
all and forming one system to be operated
By electricity, the public rejoieed in the
idea of this improvement in trsnsporta-
ton. Finally, however, the scheme col
lapsed, but in its overthrow the possibil>
ity Of the introduction of electricity as 8
means of propelling cars should not
cease 10 be considered.
There has never been any question
among electricians as 10 the feasibility of
running cars or any kind of machinery
By electricity; it has simply been a oues-
ton of cost or of the amount of coal
which must be burned in order TO obtain
steam engine power to run the dynamo.
Step by step this cost has been reduced.
aud the difference between the horse
power put into dynamo sud that taken
out Of it has been steadily diminished
There are three systems of electric
street railways now adopted By different
companies organized for the equipment
of electric railways: First-That by
which electricity is conveyed from the
dynamo along the third rail placed
between the two tracks, reaching the
motor in the car by means of a
collecting wheel in contact with this
third rail. Secoud-That by which cleo
tricity is carried to the motor along 8
wire or wires strung above the track, say
at height Of ten Or twelve feet from the
ground, little metal carriage runs along
this wire, connected BY wire with each
car Third-Thst by which the electric
ity Is fed to the motor directly from stor-
age batteries carried in the car, each car
being thus complete in itself and ready
10 run upon any ordinary track. As to
the principles involved they are chiefly
the same, The dynamo at a central
station is rapidly revolved BY steam or
other power, and its electrical current, be-
ing sent into second dynamo, causes
this second dynamo to revolve, thus
making it motor for any mechanical
purpose.
The statistics concerning the electrical
railways in operation in the United States
at the end of last April are as follows:
Baltimore. Nd, 1885. 2 miles, 5 cars,
200. 600 passengers last year; operating
expenses. 81 per car per day; each motor
runs 70 miles per day; third rail and
overhead wire both; steam engine pow
er. Los Angeles, Cal, 1887, 3 miles, s
cars; overhead wire; steam engine Port
Huron, Mich, 1885, miles, cars, IS, :
900 passengers yearly, overhead wire;
steam engine Windsor, Canada, 1885.
2 miles, 2 cars, 100000 passengers year
"; operating expenses 81 per day for
power. overhead wire, steam power from
electric light station. Highland Park,
Detroit. Mich, 1886, 81 miles Of track, 2
cars, 100000 passengers year third
ran, steam engine. Dix railroad, De-
troit, Mich, 1886, Il mile 4 cars; 300
engine. Appleton. Wis, 1856. A. miles;
s cars. 100000 passengers; overhead
wire; power from turbine water wheels.
Scranton, Pa. 1886, 81 miles; cars
100000 passengers yearly; So day for
power, but are putting in their Own en-
gines, overhead wire; power from cleo
trio light station. Denver, Col, 1885,
81 miles. 7 cars, 300. 900 passengers; IN
dergound conduit; steam engines.
Montgomery, Ala. 1885. II miles, IS
cars. expenses, according to the report of
the general manager; 50 per cent less
than horse or mule traction, overhead
coRdnction. steam engines. Binghsmp-
ton. n. Y, 1887 Gust finished. a miles
of track; ) cars, steam power
With regard to the comparative cost of
horse power, steam and electricity, very
complete tables have been prepared at the
request of some of the street railway
companies of New York. The lowest
cost Of operation by steam motor per day
is put at an average of S., but even while
steam is cheap, there are the objections
on the score of noise, gas, heat and
steam. The best experts concerning the
cost Of Lorse traction put it at an average
Of So 50 day per car. With the third
rail system in electric railways the ex-
penses have been averaged at 81 per car
per day; this is the figure given By the
Baltimore company as the result of ITS
two years service, and as compared with
the former cost of S. 50 per day for horse
traction. In these statistics it Will be
noticed that several of the companies buy
their electricity directly from the electric
light company of their town; during the
day when the dynamUs are not used for
lights. they are kept going in order
to give power for the railway SER
vice, and thus they do constant
work at large reduction in cost. There
certainly would be less likelihood of
trouble during strikes: there would be no
army of hostlers. and the drivers would
be a more intelligent set of men than
those employed at present. The small
quarters necessary for q dynamo station
as compared TO the space required for
stables will make possible great saving
Of rent
The idea of introducing electricity in